Aerial view of the site from the north showing the foundations of the new gallery space (left) and restaurant (right)

Inside the kitchen of the new restaurant

Aerial view from the north west showing the floorpan of the new gallery and office space

News

New gallery and restaurant walls in place

3 May 2017

The first new buildings on the top of Calton Hill in over a century are fast taking shape. With the foundations complete, concrete walls have now been created for Collective’s new gallery, offices, and restaurant. These walls will be faced with tooled sandstone and will complement the original finish of the City Observatory.

With the restaurant extending out over the hillside on a cantilever, it’s hard to imagine a better view of the city, though the outside seating terrace and viewing platform on top of the new gallery will also be spectacular.

In the City Observatory, the floor joists are being repaired prior to the installation of a beautiful new oak floor. The original lathe and plaster finish to the walls and ceilings throughout the building is being lovingly restored.

A particularly striking feature of the Observatory, the full length ‘transit’ slot in the ceiling for the main telescope, has now been revealed by the removal of a false ceiling added in the 20th century. The elegant slot, which runs the full width of the Observatory, will soon be glazed so it will always be on show along with its original, pulley-operated shutters. The transit slot is aligned with the local meridian line, a feature which will also emerge in the landscaping of the grounds around the site.

You can still make a difference

Many funders and individual donors have helped make this project possible. We now have less than 5% of our fundraising target to raise and with your help we can get there.

You can contribute to the restoration of the Observatory and Collective’s vision for the site today by buying a brick – click here to donate.